Venezuelans in New York face hurricane Sandy

Luz Marina Díaz, a Venezuelan resident in the Bronx, New York, reported that on Sunday, several streets and the city subway were already closed, as hurricane Sandy was expected to swirl across the city on Monday.

"People were preparing themselves for the storm. The supermarket shelves with canned food, water, batteries, and basic staples were almost empty on Sunday afternoon," Díaz remarked.

The Federal Government announced that there might be power cuts during seven to 10 days. About 50 million people are likely to be hit by hurricane Sandy in New York.

For his part, Andrés Correa Guatarasma, a Venezuelan journalist living in New York, reported that 3,600 homes in Brooklyn were without power on Monday morning.

He added that the Hudson River water level had substantially surged. "We have to remember that Manhattan is an island, so any rise in water levels might worse the situation," he said.